Cronulla Beach, Sydney, Australia

byDave Jackson

Cronulla Beach is a quieter alternative to Sydney’s beaches at Bondi and Coogee. Like both of those beaches, Cronulla is only a short drive or train ride away from Sydney’s Central Business District. Furthermore, you can feel safe at this beach: the Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Club is one of the finest in Australia, having won three World Championships. This proud organization is housed in a marvelous art deco building right on the beach.

There are a ton of activities for all ages at Cronulla Beach. Popular options include surfing, body boarding, and bike riding. There are even free body boards provided by the beach for the public to use! For the more adventurous, skydiving and hang gliding are also available. The Sydney Hang Gliding Centre actually pioneered the tandem technique, enabling the instructor to ride along with the beginner. This might just be the best place to take that initial leap!

Cronulla Park directly behind the beach provides picnic tables and barbecues. Nearby Royal National Park has over 150KM of walking tracks. We walked the Palm Jungle Loop Walk, and it took us almost 5 hours. The National Park Service rates it as a “hard” trek, and we discovered they most certainly weren’t lying. We were definitely pretty beat, but that wasn’t anything that a cold beer at one of Cronulla’s many bars couldn’t handle.

The town of Cronulla boasts one of the finest YHA hostels in the country, along with a number of hotels for those with a bit more cash to spend. There are also a ton of restaurants. Best of all, if you can’t find anything that strikes you in Cronulla, you’re only minutes from one of the culinary capitols of the world.

While you’re in Sydney, check out Cronulla. It’s sure to satisfy, especially if you’re looking for a quieter, romantic moment with that special someone.